Strelitzia nicolai: care & propagation of the white bird of paradise

Strelitzia is one of the most well known plant genera from South Africa and many of us love to keep them as houseplants. Learn all about Strelitzia nicolai, a special white flowering bird of paradise species.

Strelitzia nicolai adds a lovely, exotic flair to any room. With the right care and a bit of patience, this tropical beauty may even reward you with its stunning flowers. Read on to find out how to care for and propagate white bird of paradise plants and what conditions they need in order to thrive.

Strelitzia nicolai: flowers, origin and characteristics

Strelitzia nicolai, also known as the white bird of paradise, is a tropical houseplant with impressively large leaves and beautiful, mostly white flowers with hints of blue and dark, almost black spathes. As with other bird of paradise plants, the flowers resemble a bird’s beak. Together with five other Strelitzia species, Strelitzia nicolai belongs to the plant family known as Strelitziaceae and originates from South Africa. It is an herbaceous, cluster-forming, flowering plant that grows as a tree under the right conditions. In the dunes and coastal forests of South Africa, for instance, it can grow up to 10 m high. Here in the UK, it usually only reaches around 4 m high, but is easier to care for than other tropical houseplants. Strelitzia nicolai‘s flowering time depends on its age and location. In its native country, the white bird of paradise can flower all year round. There it is also pollinated by birds and forms 40 cm long capsule fruits with black seeds. In our part of the world, it usually only produces its white-blue flowers after three to six years, between December and May. Its grey-green leaves have an alternate leaf pattern and grow from a light grey pseudostem. Pseudostems are typical of palms and are sometimes called ‘false stems’, and consist of overlapping non-woody leaf sheaths.

Pseudostems are just one of the characteristics that Strelitzia nicolai and banana plants (Musa) have in common. The white bird of paradise plant’s large, smooth-edged, leathery leaves are also reminiscent of Musa plants. For this reason, Strelitzia nicolai is also sometimes called the wild banana tree.

Tip: Strelitzia nicolai are not the only plants that are known as bird of paradise plants. They share this name with some of their close relatives such as Strelitzia reginae and the false bird of paradise (Heliconia angusta).

Finding the right location for Strelitzia nicolai

In keeping with their natural habitat, wild banana trees need plenty of light, warmth and high humidity. Accordingly, this plant needs to be somewhere bright to semi-shady, but also likes to bask in direct sunlight from time to time. It needs temperatures between 18 and 27 °C in summer and above 10 °C in winter.

Mature Strelitzia nicolai plants need a lot of space in order to bloom. Therefore, repot your white bird of paradise into a larger pot in spring at least every three years until it is fully grown. We recommend using a high-quality, nutrient-rich potting soil for this, such as our Plantura Organic Flower Compost. This soil is peat-free and contains all the nutrients your bird of paradise needs, as well as coco coir, wood fibres and expanded clay balls which helps keep it loose and well-draining to prevent waterlogging. Strelitzia nicolai is very sensitive to waterlogging, so in addition to using the right soil, it is important to create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot using expanded clay, gravel or stones.

Bird of paradise plants tend to bloom more reliably when they are a little root bound. So, once your Strelitzia nicolai is fully grown and regularly flowering, keep it in a pot that is not too large – one with a diameter of about 40 cm is fine.

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Tip: Repotting your white bird of paradise while it is in bloom will disrupt the flowering cycle. So, as a general rule, refrain from repotting mature wild banana trees too often.

Strelitzia nicolai care

Strelitzia nicolai are one of the easier tropical houseplants to care for. Keep the soil moist, but not wet, and avoid waterlogging. One of the most common mistakes with Strelitzia is excessive watering. Water regularly with little water, but always allow the soil to dry out before watering again.

Wild banana trees like high humidity, so yours will appreciate a little misting with low-lime water from time to time. There is no need to prune Strelitzia nicolai, but you can remove wilted and brown leaves if they are visually unappealing. However, keep in mind that white bird of paradise plants do naturally get discoloured and torn leaves, which are not necessary to remove.

If your Strelitzia nicolai is not flowering, fertilise it once a month from April to October. A liquid fertiliser such as our Plantura Liquid Houseplant Food is best for this. As mentioned above, once Strelitzia nicolai has flowered, it is best not to repot it too often. Accordingly, the last time you repot your Strelitzia nicolai should be in a very long-lasting, structurally stable soil mixture. In addition to the drainage layer at the bottom of the pot, mix about 30 % drainage material in with the soil to help prevent waterlogging. Also work in a complete fertiliser to provide your plant with a reliable and long-lasting nutrient supply. Our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food, for instance, is ideal for this. It contains sulphur, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and helps to promote a healthy and active soil life thanks to its high proportion of organic matter.

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It is important to protect this tropical plant from the cold in winter to avoid it getting damaged. Do not allow the room temperature to fall below 10 °C. That said, Strelitzia nicolai can withstand temperatures down to 0 °C for short periods of time. The cooler temperatures and lack of light in winter force white bird of paradise plants to go dormant. To successfully overwinter yours, refrain from fertilising and water less often in the winter months.

Strelitzia nicolai propagation

White bird of paradise plants are easy to propagate by dividing the plant in the months of April and May. To do this, separate a small shoot from the mother plant, ideally while you are already repotting your wild banana plant. Remember not to divide the plant too often, because any disturbances can stress the plant and stop it from blooming. Here is how to divide a white bird of paradise:

• Carefully remove the plant from its container ready for repotting
• Separate a small shoot with at least 3 leaves from the mother plant using a sharp knife and a little dexterity
• Plant daughter plant(s) into new pot(s)
• Water well

Is Strelitzia nicolai poisonous?

Yes, all parts of the plant Strelitzia nicolai are slightly poisonous. Whilst it is safe to touch them, ingesting any part of the plant could lead to gastrointestinal problems. For this reason, we advise keeping your white bird of paradise out of reach of children and pets.